Quote for the Day
“Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need.”
Today's Prayer
This week pray that God places you in situations where you can show respect for those older and in higher positions than you are. Pray for those traveling that they may see God’s influence and wisdom as they are away from family and friends.
1st Timothy 5:1-16
1st Timothy 5:1-16 (NIV)1 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, 2 older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. 3 Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. 5 The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. 6 But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. 7 Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. 8 If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9 No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, 10 and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds. 11 As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. 12 Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13 Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. 14 So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. 15 Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. 16 If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.
Message
From explaining the use of our gifts in chapter four, Paul immediately speaks of working with others. Remember that Timothy is a young man in a position of leadership in a culture that believed physical age was a prerequisite for wisdom. The ability to influence others for God should be done in the context of the environment in which we live. Paul gives two very important exhortations to Timothy in the way he should deal with others. First, he is told to work with older men as if they were his father. Timothy had to have a working relationship that was built on respect, not arrogance of youth. To gain respect you must FIRST respect the other, especially those older or in a higher position. Secondly, he was to care for the true widows. These were women who had been left alone not only by the death of their husband, but possibly by the rest of their family. The command to give recognition and care for these women is once again showing respect for those of age and who were in need in the church.As we seek God’s will and share His promises, we must be able to influence others, and the foundation for influence is respect.